Work Life Balance: The Four Burner Theory: Episode 20

Four Burners Theory

Imagine it this way. Your life is represented by a stove with four burners on it. Each burner representing one major quadrant of your life.

Burner one represents your family.

Burner two is your friends.

Burner three is your health.

Burner four is your work.

The Four Burners Theory says that “in order to be successful you have to cut off one of your burners. And in order to be really successful, you have to cut off two.”

The ultimate work/life balance conundrum.

I’ve seen this concept espoused by a number of writers lately, each with a slightly different take.

At first, I thought it would make sense to simplify things. I could easily lump my friends in with my family. Many of my family members are friends, so in many cases that would be easy. For work, I could easily get a standing treadmill with an elevated desk for my office, combining the health and work burners.